Florida State closes National Signing Day with a top-rated class

Seminoles are No. 1 according to ESPN.com, and among the top four in Scout.com and Rivals.com rankings.

February 2, 2011|By Andrew Carter

TALLAHASSEE — Inside the room where Florida State football coaches gathered there was silence. There were men who spend a lot of their working days screaming, yelling, talking. They are communicators as much as they are coaches but now, in the moments before Timmy Jernigan announced his college choice, they were listeners.

Then the standout defensive tackle from Lake City Columbia finally made his announcement: Florida State.

At once the words moved the coaches to their feet. Jimbo Fisher pumped his fist. His staff stood and cheered. Odell Haggins, the Seminoles defensive line coach who'd recruited Jernigan the longest of anyone, exchanged high fives with his colleagues.

It was a jubilant scene on a jubilant day for Florida State, which finished with one of the top recruiting classes in the nation. Near the end of National Signing Day, ESPN.com ranked the Seminoles' 29-man class No. 1 nationally. So, too, did Scout.com. Rivals.com ranked Florida State No. 4.

The addition of Jernigan was the best news on a day filled with good news for the Seminoles. He said he chose Florida State over LSU because he was a Seminole at heart.

Those inside that room in the Florida State football offices had reason to celebrate.

• Assessment: Florida State filled its needs everywhere, added loads of depth and talent at just about every position and finished with a class that some experts are calling the nation's best. No, it wasn't too bad a National Signing Day for the Seminoles. Fisher and his staff emphasized needs on both the offensive and defensive lines and they added some of the best linemen in the class of 2011, on either side. There are a lot of gifted skill players in this class, too.

• Big Catch: Karlos Williams and James Wilder Jr. are the two most heralded members of the class, and Williams especially could have a chance to play early given Florida State's needs at safety. But those two are also important because they helped steer other top prospects to Florida State. On signing day, the big catch was Lake City DT Timmy Jernigan, who chose Florida State over LSU.

• Got Away: The Seminoles badly wanted St. Augustine LB Tony Steward, but on Wednesday he chose Clemson over Florida State. That was just about the only disappointment Florida State experienced throughout the entire recruiting process. And the pain is mitigated because the Seminoles already have a deep stable of young, talented linebackers. Though Florida State would have loved to have had Steward, he represented more of a luxury than a need.

• Quote: "I'm very excited about today. Everyone says we're No. 1, we're No. 2, we're No. 3. That wasn't what was important to me. I think we got the guys that we went after – that we evaluated and thought were the guys that we needed in this class for this organization and this team to move forward. Very excited that we think we not only hit our needs as far as athletically – we wanted big playmakers, big-bodied guys – but we went across the board. Every position was filled."

-Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher

FIVE IMPACT SIGNEES

• WR Kelvin Benjamin, 6-6, 210, Belle Glade/Glades Central

Buzz: One of the top receivers in the country, Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said Benjamin is further ahead at this point than any of several receivers he coached at LSU who went on to play in the NFL.

• DT Tim Jernigan, 6-2, 297, Lake City/Combmbia

Buzz: If he's as good as advertised – and the Seminoles coaching staff believe he is – Jernigan should compete early for playing time at a position that has been a problem point for Florida State in recent seasons.

• TE Nick O'Leary, 6-4, 235, Palm Beach/Dwyer

Buzz: Considered the top tight end in the nation by man, O'Leary's versatility could make him a dangerous weapon in Fisher's offense. He can line up in the backfield, in the slot or at tight end.

• RB James Wilder Jr., 6-2, 219, Tampa/Plant

Buzz: A big back who'd rather run through defenders than around him, Wilder is a perfect fit for Fisher's power running game. Fisher is enamored with big, powerful backs – guys who look and play like Wilder.

• S Karlos Williams, 6-2, 210, Davenport/Ridge Community

Buzz: Fisher said Williams is the kind of talent that only comes around once every 10 or 15 years. He could provide instant help to a position that's in need of it.